Ninaki Priddy, the former best friend and maid of honor of Meghan Markle, has come forward with explosive claims about the Duchess of Sussex's character, accusing her of being a cold-blooded, scheming social climber who dumped her first husband and old friends as her acting career grew and she ultimately married into royalty.
Priddy and Markle first met at age two at daycare in Hollywood's private Little Red Schoolhouse and remained close friends for 31 years. However, their friendship took a turn for the worse when Priddy disapproved of Markle's treatment of her first husband, producer Trevor Engelson.
"All I can say now is that I think Meghan was calculated - very calculated - in the way she handled people and relationships," Priddy said, per the Globe magazine. "She is very strategic in the way she cultivates circles of friends. Once she decides you're not part of her life, she can be very cold. It's this shutdown mechanism she has."
Meghan's marriage to Engelson in 2011, for which Priddy served as maid of honor, ended abruptly two years later, coinciding with Meghan's role on the television series "Suits" in Toronto, while Engelson remained in L.A. while Markle shot the legal drama Suits in Toronto, their marriage crumbled. Markle quickly moved on to a new man, celebrity chef Cory Vitiello.
"I tried to get details of the breakup from her, but she wouldn't tell me," Priddy recalled. "What came to light, after Trevor and I spoke, ended my friendship with Meghan." Shortly after the divorce, Priddy said Engelson told her he "would have walked the earth to make their marriage work," but she believes Markle didn't give him enough of a chance.
Priddy suggests that the physical separation contributed to the dissolution of the marriage, with Engelson left feeling blindsided by the sudden end to their relationship. "Trevor definitely had the rug pulled out from under him. He was hurt," Priddy recounted, noting Engelson's willingness to salvage the marriage.
Following her divorce, Meghan's interaction with her inner circle, including Priddy, began to wane. Priddy recalls a noticeable change in Meghan's accessibility and willingness to maintain their friendship, which strained under the pressures of Meghan's growing fame. "Her time became increasingly important," Priddy observed, describing how Meghan expected friends to be available at her convenience.
The shift in Meghan's social dynamics became more apparent as she limited her confidences to a new group of friends, leaving Priddy feeling alienated from the woman she once considered a sister. "It was obvious to me she wasn't the friend I'd grown up with anymore. She had a new circle of friends," Priddy lamented, marking the end of their three-decade-long friendship.
Priddy's reflections on her relationship with Meghan provide a unique perspective on the duchess's evolution from a Hollywood actress to a member of the British royal family. As Meghan navigated the complexities of fame and royalty, her personal and professional choices have continued to attract public scrutiny and debate. The narrative of her friendship with Priddy underscores the personal sacrifices and transformations often entailed in such a journey, painting a portrait of a woman who has strategically crafted her path through life's various stages.
